China: The profession of "nursing home broker" is on the rise.

Amidst an aging population and the immense pressure of childcare on only children, a new profession has emerged in China: senior care managers. These professionals act as intermediaries, connecting, assessing, and finding the most suitable second homes for the elderly.

Old age and countless worries.

After being diagnosed with Alzheimer's syndrome, the lives of 76-year-old Han Dingrong, who lives in Chongqing, China, and her children were completely turned upside down. The devastating disease caused her to lose control of her behavior, constantly smashing things and even attacking her two daughters whenever they tried to bathe her.

Tang Tao, one of the two daughters, tearfully recalled the crisis: "My family hired a total of four caregivers. But everyone who came could only last a few days before running away in fear because the pressure was too great. At that time, we were truly at a dead end and exhausted."

Unable to quit her job to be there 24/7, and unwilling to leave her mother alone in a dangerous situation, Tang Tao helplessly turned to social media for assistance. On the Xiaohongshu app, she stumbled upon an account called "Jiujiu Elderly Care Manager" promising to help families "find suitable care solutions." After paying a small consultation fee of 99 yuan (approximately 300,000 VND), that same night, Tang Tao received a detailed plan outlining the pros and cons of five nursing homes in her area that were best suited to her mother's condition.

In February 2025, after a week of trial stays for their mother at the recommended facility, Tang Tao and her sister knew they had made the right decision. The original cost was higher, but thanks to government social security subsidies for the elderly with illnesses, the actual amount the family had to pay out of pocket was only 4,800 yuan, equivalent to about 17 million VND per month. In return, their mother received care in a clean, odor-free environment, and most importantly, she was treated with respect and understanding by the medical staff.

"Previously, the concept of senior care management didn't exist at all. If you wanted to find a nursing home, you could only ask acquaintances, and the information was scarce and vague. This profession emerged like a real estate broker. They listen to your actual needs and then offer you the most suitable options," Tang Tao shared.

The rise of the "nursing home broker" profession.

The story of Tang Tao's family is not unique. By the end of 2025, China will have over 323 million people aged 60 and over, accounting for nearly one-fifth of the country's total population. Particularly in megacities like Shanghai, this figure reaches 37.6%. This aging wave coincides with the first generation of only children from the family planning policy entering middle age. They bear the economic burden of raising their children while also caring for both sets of parents without siblings to share the responsibilities.

The occupancy rate of beds in Chinese nursing homes is no more than 50%.

Statistics show that although China had 40,000 registered nursing homes by the end of 2024 with over 5 million beds, the occupancy rate was less than half. This paradox arises from the chaotic market. Amidst a maze of information about prices, service quality, and facilities, families are completely lost. This creates fertile ground for "nursing home brokers" like Jiu Jiu to thrive.

Jiu Jiu, whose real name is He Renmei, currently owns a Douyin (Chinese TikTok) channel with 18,000 followers in Chongqing. Each month, she receives approximately 500 requests for advice from various places. He's daily work involves personally visiting nursing homes, using a video camera to inspect every nook and cranny, from the main lobby and bedrooms to the restrooms, checking for non-slip handrails; to assessing the nutritional regime, the capabilities of the on-site medical staff, and the overall cost.

To achieve this job, He Renmei has had a long and arduous journey. Originally from the design industry, she worked as a commercial director and spent eight years in early childhood education before taking on the role of marketing director for a large nursing home. After witnessing too many tragic accidents involving elderly people at home due to their children's busy schedules, in 2021 she opened a store supplying specialized equipment for the elderly, and officially transitioned to professional care management after passing the government's assessor and social worker certification exams.

He Renmei shared her thoughts on her profession: "This wasn't a spontaneous idea, but the result of years of observation. I've noticed that families are always under immense psychological pressure when faced with caregiving choices. They lack information and are afraid of making wrong decisions that could hurt their parents."

Ms. He Renmei visits a nursing home in Yubei District, Chongqing, in 2025. Photo provided by Ms. He Renmei.

Currently, He Renmei is collaborating with 200 nursing homes in Chongqing. She acts as an independent information filter. This relationship benefits all three parties: families find safe and secure care; nursing homes solve the problem of finding clients; and the broker receives a commission of approximately 20% of the first month's fees from the nursing home after a successful transaction.

Ms. Zhou Xuemei, director of Kangyi Yiyuan nursing home (a large facility with over 400 beds in Chongqing), confirmed: "Since partnering with He Renmei at the end of 2022, she has introduced us to more than 180 potential clients, of which more than 50 have decided to move in permanently. This is a very effective and cost-saving marketing channel."

The invisible pressure behind the label "easy job, high pay"

Not only in Chongqing, but also in Changsha (Hunan), the profession of managing and caring for the elderly is booming. Ms. Yang Yang (37 years old), a long-time worker there, shared that her clients are mostly young people on the verge of collapse.

"Many people criticize children for putting their parents in nursing homes as unfilial. But in reality, there are families who, despite their tight budgets, still have to struggle to pay for nursing homes. Because if they don't, they'll be forced to quit their jobs to care for their parents, and then the entire family system will collapse. They have no other choice," Ms. Yang explained.

Screenshots of social media posts related to the profession of managing elderly care services. Source: Xiaohongshu.

The boom in this profession has also brought about negative consequences, with numerous posts on social media "romanticizing" the job, turning it into a "trendy profession with huge income and a quick way to change one's life." Many young people rush into learning and working in this profession with a superficial attitude.

However, Ms. Yang asserted: "This profession requires long-term perseverance and a great deal of compassion for the elderly. There are no shortcuts for those who only want to surf the web to make money."

The line between providing assistance and selling information is thin.

Although the demand for nursing home brokers in China is projected to continue growing, pioneers like He Renmei remain vigilant against the temptations of the profession's distortions. She has begun expanding by launching a nationwide training program and building an intercity network, but always adheres to a core principle.

"If we want this profession to survive and be respected by society, we must always stand by the patients' families, putting their needs first. We must absolutely avoid becoming mere intermediaries who only buy and sell information for a profit," Ms. He emphasized.

An elderly woman plays the keyboard at a nursing home in Jinhua, Zhejiang province, in 2025. Photo: Duong My Thanh/VCG

Furthermore, she frankly admitted the limitations of being a matchmaker: "The core value of a nursing home lies in the quality of care and the dedication of the actual nursing staff there, not in my advertisements or videos. I cannot change the nature of a facility; I can only help families gather enough information to make the most informed decision."

Ultimately, what keeps these caregivers in the profession is not just the income, but the humanistic value they leave behind for society. Thank-you messages from children living far away, and photos capturing the peaceful smiles of elderly people in their twilight years, are invaluable sources of emotional support. In a modern, chaotic, and lonely society, they are helping to mend broken pieces, allowing many single-parent families to find their way back to a peaceful path.

Source: sixthtone.com

Source: https://phunuvietnam.vn/trung-quoc-nghe-moi-gioi-vien-duong-lao-len-ngoi-238260521124953399.htm